3.17.2013

Spring will begin in just a couple of days. I am very excited about its arrival. There are lots of things to look forward to in Spring...flowers, birds, short sleeves, egg-everything. In the interest of keeping track of all the things I want to remember to do, I made this list of fun things to do during Spring. Don't let all the rainy days invite boredom. Spring is a great time to get started on...all kinds of things.

3.13.2013

Saint Patrick's Day is a fantastic time to explore some Irish traditions and folktales. The shamrock, or three-leafed clover, has long been associated with Ireland. Occasionally, clovers grow with four or more leaves instead of the usual three. These rare four-leafed clovers are thought to bring good luck to those who discover them. Let students experience this tradition first-hand by growing clover in the classroom.

Visit The Schroeder Page to get this free printable clover observation chart. After the seeds are planted, you can set the clover up in an observation center for students to visit independently or in small groups. They can fill in this comparison sheet, draw diagrams of the plants as they grow, and use magnifying glasses to search for four-leafed clovers.

At the end of the month, students can chart their individual results, compare to classmates' observations, and chart the class' cumulative data. Clover plays an important role in nitrogen fixation, so this experiment is a great springboard for a discussion about the nitrogen cycle. Visit Backyard Nature to find out exactly how clover fits into Earth's nitrogen cycle.

Invite some luck your way by making the clover patch or another area of the garden into a retreat for leprechauns.

Kids can collect items from the outdoors and the recycling bin to accessorize the leprechaun garden. If they don't find the shapes they need, students can use air-hardening clay to create pieces like the leaf-chair and yellow mushroom above. Then, print out this free leprechaun puppet that kids can use for storytelling and imaginative play in the new mini garden.

All this learning and gardening will work up an appetite. For snack time, make Irish soda bread, a traditional St. Patrick's day food. Soda bread is simple to make, because the baking soda in the recipe helps the bread rise. This means no repetitions of kneading and rising like in many bread recipes.